Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | William Cleary | ||
Date of birth | (1931-04-20)20 April 1931 | ||
Place of birth | England | ||
Date of death | 12 March 1991(1991-03-12) (aged 59) | ||
Position(s) | Half-back | ||
Youth career | |||
South Bank East End | |||
Sunderland | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1953–1956 | Norwich City | 18 | (0) |
Wisbech Town | |||
1957–1958 | Port Vale | 8 | (0) |
Boston United | 0 | (0) | |
Wisbech Town | |||
King's Lynn | |||
Total | 26+ | (0+) | |
Managerial career | |||
Wisbech Town | |||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
William Cleary (20 April 1931 – 12 March 1991) was an English footballer who played at half-back for Sunderland, Norwich City, Wisbech Town, Port Vale, Boston United, and King's Lynn.
Career
Cleary played for South Bank East End and Sunderland (without making a first-team appearance) before joining Norman Low's Norwich City in 1953. He played 18 Third Division South games for the "Canaries", as the Carrow Road club posted mid-table finishes in 1953–54, 1954–55, and 1955–56. He then played non-League football for Wisbech Town. He was signed again by Norman Low, now manager of Port Vale, in November 1957. He played eight Third Division South and two FA Cup games in the 1957–58 season. Still, he failed to nail down a regular slot at Vale Park. He was transferred to Southern League side Boston United in July 1958. He moved on to King's Lynn, before returning to old club Wisbech Town. He became a coach, manager, and finally a director at the club.
Career statistics
Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Total | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
Norwich City | 1953–54 | Third Division South | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
1954–55 | Third Division South | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
1955–56 | Third Division South | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
Total | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 21 | 0 | ||
Port Vale | 1957–58 | Third Division South | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
Boston United | 1958–59 | Southern League North-West | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
References
- ^ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 61. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
- ^ Bill Cleary at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- "Statistics Season 1958/59". www.bufc.drfox.org.uk. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
- 1931 births
- 1991 deaths
- Footballers from Middlesbrough
- English men's footballers
- Men's association football midfielders
- Sunderland A.F.C. players
- Norwich City F.C. players
- Wisbech Town F.C. players
- Port Vale F.C. players
- Boston United F.C. players
- King's Lynn F.C. players
- English Football League players
- Southern Football League players
- English football managers
- Association football coaches
- 20th-century English sportsmen